World leaders from across continents extended warm greetings and congratulations to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on completing a historic milestone of 25 continuous years as Head of Government on October 7, 2026. This period marks twenty-five years since he first assumed office as Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001 and subsequently took over as Prime Minister of the Republic of India in 2014.
Prime Minister of Bhutan, H.E. Tshering Tobgay, congratulated Modi and described him as "an avatar of our times," noting that his vision of Viksit Bharat reflects the collective ambition of 1.4 billion Indians for a strong, prosperous, and developed country. President of Nigeria, H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, highlighted Modi's visionary leadership that steered Gujarat's transformation and facilitated India's rise as one of the fastest-growing global economies, specifically mentioning leadership in infrastructure, digital public goods, financial inclusion, and innovation. Tinubu recalled Modi's historic State Visit to Abuja in November 2024, when Nigeria honored him with the title of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, which gave fresh impetus to cooperation in trade, investment, energy, defense, security, health, education, and technology.
President of the Philippines, H.E. Bongbong Marcos, praised Modi's strong emphasis on good governance, innovation, technology, infrastructure, and development that contributed to India's transformation and growing global role. He noted the Strategic Partnership established in 2025 and the Philippines joining the CDRI last month, while looking forward to welcoming Modi to Manila for the ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits in November. Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. Sanae Takaichi, highlighted Modi's excellent political leadership that accelerated India's development and raised its international prestige, looking forward to working together to realize a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) and noting the 75th anniversary of Japan-India diplomatic relations next year.
Multiple other world leaders including those from Nepal, Botswana, Belgium, Dominica, South Korea, Grenada, Zambia, Kazakhstan, Ethiopia, Trinidad and Tobago, Seychelles, Mauritius, and former Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić extended congratulations. Common themes included appreciation for India's economic growth under Modi's leadership, transformation in infrastructure and digital innovation, and strengthened bilateral partnerships across trade, investment, energy, defense, and technology sectors. Several leaders specifically mentioned recent visits and exchanges that deepened diplomatic relations, with many expressing confidence in further strengthening partnerships in the coming years.
The congratulatory messages universally recognized this 25-year milestone as a rare achievement in any democracy, particularly in the world's most populous nation, reflecting the enduring confidence the Indian people have placed in Modi's leadership. Leaders highlighted India's emergence as an influential voice in global affairs and a leading advocate for the Global South, with specific mentions of India's support for Ethiopia's BRICS accession and various strategic partnerships established during Modi's tenure.